Keyboard Phones Are Back
markow.devPhysical keyboard combined with a touch screen (which you need because you don’t have a joystick or mouse), doesn’t make sense because it eats space you can’t reclaim. A virtual OSK is invoked contextually, maximize screen real estate across the user journey.
As a former owner of the HTC 7 Pro (also known as the HTC Arrive), I have to disagree. I absolutely loved this device because of the keyboard. The onscreen keyboard was hidden when the physical keyboard was open. It basically doubled the screen estate. It felt like a very tiny notebook.
I currently own an iPhone 13 Mini which is also considered a niche phone and does not sold well. I guess, I am the wrong person to ask which type of phone should be build. Having said that, I would love if Apple would create a phone with a physical keyboard.
> Having said that, I would love if Apple would create a phone with a physical keyboard.
There are several 3rd party keyboards for iPhone. From compact to larger. Have you tried any and what do you think?
> Physical keyboard combined with a touch screen [...] doesn’t make sense because it eats space you can’t reclaim.
True, at least for horis; though on a vertically-shaped handheld it might make some sense. A traditional slab with a tray-table compatible pogo-attachable keyboard (with wireless option built-in) would be optimal, e. g. a modern version of the piano from the Sharp PC-3000/-3100 or the Psion Series 5.
And ffs, please do include at least a TAB key!
It is a worse HCI for the reason I mentioned; I predict tiny market share if still around 5 years from now.
I find touchscreens vastly inferior unless they come with an integrated EMR digitizer layer (or something even more precise), especially on a device that has the form factor of a smartphone, but works more as a modular pocket computer. An attachable/detachable keyboard (as clamshell or with a slider mechanism) gives me much more flexibility.
But you're probably more on the mark as the average smartphone user is quite far removed from my feature essentials; I'd prefer even a vertical handheld with a well-designed integrated keyboard to a typical hori without any options.